Thill-coupling



(N0 Model G. A. PENN. THILL COUPLING.

4 No. 544,910. Patented Aug. 20,1895.

Y Wzlinesses lrwenl'or Fries.

ATENT GEORGE A. FENN, OF VVATERTOWN, CONNECTICUT.

THlLL-COUPLING.

\ SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,910, dated August20, 1895.

Application filed June 4, 1 895.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, GEORGE A. FENN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of \Vatertown, in the county of Litchfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inThill-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to thill-couplings5 and it consists of an improvedlocking-latch for the draw-bolt and an improved antirattler device forthe draw-head of the shaft-iron, all of which improvements will be morefully set forth in the following specification, and such features as Ibelieve to be new and novel particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others to'fully understand my invention, reference is had tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical sideelevation of the thill-coupling and clip, the latter embracing avertical section of the axle, showing my improved locking-latch for thedrawbolt in closed position and the antirattler device for theshaft-iron draw-head in operative position. Fig. 2 is a detail sideelevation and broken section of one of the thill-coupling ears with thedraw-bolt locking-latch in a raised position, said ear broken throughline a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an upper plan view looking in the directionof arrow b of Fig. 1 of the coupling, showing my improved latch for thedraw bolt and the antirattling device for the draw-head. Fig. 4 is'adetail view of one of the ears of the coupling and a broken view of thebase or frame of said coupling, showing the slot in the ear for thedraw-bolt latch. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the drawbolt, showing thegroove near the end thereof for the locking-latch to engage with.

Its construction and operation are as follows: My improvements areapplicable, with some slight changes, to ordinary thill-couplings.Therefore the coupling shown is an ordinary thin-coupling, consisting ofthe ears 1 1, and draw-head 2 connected to the thill-iron 3. In the ear1,I cut the slot 4 and deep enough to open into the hole in the centerof the ears for the draw-bolt 5. Into this slot at is placed thelocking-latch 6, pivotally supported on the pin 7 back of such ear. Thelatch 6 has the semicircular groove 8 to engage with the Serial No.551,628. (No model.)

annular groove 9 of the bolt 5, Fig. ,5, by which means such bolt issecurely locked against withdrawal from the coupling. I prefer also foran easy manipulation of such bolt, when necessary to withdraw it, toprovide the opposite end with the thumb-screw head 10. The latch 6consists of a deep metal plate terminating at its free end in thespringarm 11, carrying the locking-catch 12 to register with the angularnotch 13of the car, as seen at Figs. 1 and 2. This arrangementeffectually prevents the accidental displacement of the locking-latchthrough anyjolting or jarring to which the coupling is always subjected.To connect the latch all 'that is necessary is to simply press down uponthe upper edge of the main body, when the spring-finger or free end willopen outward and ride over the exterior surface of the coupling-earuntil the catch 12 drops into its notch and the'attachment is complete,as shown at Fig. 1. In the meantime the groove 8 of said latch will haveengaged with the groove or recess of the bolt.

The antirattling device for the draw-head 2 consists of the long curvedtaper spring-finger 14.. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) The base or heavier partof the spring is made integral with the round body portion or shank15,which shank is inserted in a round hole formed through the projection16 of the bar 17, which projection may be made integral with such bar,as shown, or it may be attached thereto in any suitable manner mostconvenient for the manufacture. Projecting rearward from the projection16 are two ears, one of which 16 is shown, and between such ears ispivotally hung on the pin 18 the cam 19, having the handle portion 19%When, therefore, the cam-handle 19 is thrown around against the bar 17,as shown at Fig. 1, causing the camface 19 to engage with the free endof the shank 15, forcing such shank forward in the direction of arrow19, so that the spring-finger 1 1 will frictionally engage with theouter surface of the draw-head 2, there being sufficient resiliency insuch finger to always maintain a frictional engagementwith such head,all that is required to detach the draw head and remove the thills issimply to reverse the cam, as shown by dottedposition, which operationwill release the tension of the spring-finger 14, then lift thespring-finger 11 and release the catch 12 from its notch in thecoupling-ear, then throw the lockinglever 6 back, when the bolt 5 can bewithdrawn and the draw-head instantly released. The projection can, ifrequired, be mounted onthe top of the clip 20, which clip embraces skein21 and axle 22.

As'the diameter and length of the drawhead between the ears are made ofuniform size throughout the country for the ordinary thillcouplings, nochange of structure is needed in applying my improvement.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a thill coupling, the bolt 5 having the annular groove 9, couplingear 1 having slot 4; pivotally supported latch 6 having groove 8 toregister with the groove of said bolt, comadmit said shank, handle cam19 pivotally supported on said projection and adapted to engage with thefree end of said shank, for the purpose described and set forth.

' Signed at Watertown, in the county of Litchfield and State ofConnecticut, this 24th day of May, A. D. 1895. GEORGE A. FENN.

Witnesses:

BURTON H. MATTOON, FRANK D. MONELL.

